Happy Father's Day

This Fathers day I want to give a shot out to my dear husband, a handsome, sexy, loving man who has been so supporting of breastfeeding.  He makes sure he washes all of my pump parts before we go to bed and helps me pack my pump bag in the morning.  He gently reminds me to pump when I am tired.  He encourages me to nurse in public!  He is very supportive of me nursing anywhere and is always there to comfort me when I feel insecure.  Also he was the first to enforce the policy that we not bring bottles for our baby if I am present to nurse.  He makes funny jokes about how our LO makes backflips while nursing and he jokingly but confidently lets people know that out LO may nurse as long as she wants.  Happy Fathers day to a loving husband who is an awesome supporter of breastfeeding. I love you baby!

My Pumping Tips...Things that work for me (rd)

1. Nurse/Pump as often as possible
2. Pump and nurse simultaneously, when you wake up and come home from work.
3. Pump and drive! 
4. Pump at work, right before your workday starts, even if its only 5 minutes (this shortens the gap between your last nursing session and your first lunch/pump break)
5. Diet--eat oatmeal, and other foods that help your milk flow. Also drink lots of water. 
6. Only let baby have a bottle when you are not there!
7. Pump right after a hot shower while baby is sleep.
8. If you can't take a hot shower, place a hot towel on breasts or use booby tubes
9. Relax while pumping, and think of baby
10. If stressed, find things that take stress away, like music, walk on beach, etc.  Whatever works to take away stress for you!
11. If necessary take supplements like fenugreek or Motherlove More Milk Plus or drink Mother's Milk Tea.
12. Don't worry or stress over how much milk you produce, just keep pumping and moving forward! 

Motherlove Nipple Cream

I though that I would be all done with nipple cream after a few months.  I used it initially when my baby was a few weeks old after each feeding to sooth my sore nipples but eventually I didn't need it.  However when I returned to work when my baby was almost 6 months, I began to find another use for nipple cream: the pump!  

Since I pump 3-5 times a day at work and at home M-F, the nipple cream comes in handy.  Some pumping mothers grase the breast shields and that works.  However I like to use the nipple cream to grease my nipples and give a light massage to my breast right before pumping.  I also use the nipple cream to pull out my nipples so I can properly position them in the breast shield. 

I have used a couple of different brands but one that I want to recommend here is Motherlove's nipple cream.

It glides on very smoothly and feels great on the nipples.  It is ORGANIC!  Isn't that great since it's touching the skin, that touches your milk, that goes into your child's body?  This nipple cream works very well to keep my nipples from feeling the tugging of the pump and it is also safe for babies to nurse right after applying.  

Reading the ingredients reminds me of a Bryer's ice cream commercial, you know just milk, cream, and sugar :-)  Well there are no fancy chemicals that you don't understand here.  The ingredients in this nipple cream are simply: extra virgin olive oil, beeswax, shea butter, marshmallow root and calendula.  Try out Motherlove's nipple cream, I love it and I am sure you will too.